Monday, December 10, 2012

Con$ent of the Governed

Part of what makes America exceptional is the concept that the government exists with our consent; it is tolerated. "You're not the boss of me; I'm the boss of you, but I'll consent to these (regretfully necessary yet preferably minimal) laws of society and consistent rules of the game."

In short, the government works for us, they do not rule over us as do tyrants in their various forms. Can you imagine Obama telling you to go get his dry cleaning? I would hope every American voter would laugh and say "pick up your own damn laundry," or, at the least, be enterprising and charge for the service. Free enterprise.

That said, who works for who?

When I look at my tax bill, it's very, very, very clear that I'm employing a government. I'm writing them fabulous paychecks. I'm employing them to the point where I wonder, since apparently I can't fire them as I would any other free-market service I choose to do without, ...am I not really working for them?

What else to conclude when my non-negotiable cost of con$ent is:

Federal income taxes..................... 20% of income
State income taxes..........................8% of income
Social Security................................13% (you know, the 6.5 I pay and the 6.5 my employer pays)
Medicare........................................2% of income
Property taxes ................................2% annual on "value" of property
Sales taxes .....................................5% on non-food purchases
Local Registrations and fees............1% on cars, dogs, building permits, etc.
Hidden taxes (gasoline, hotel, etc)....2% estimated per annual income, probably higher.
Capital gains tax .............................15% on income my retained, non retirement-plan income earns me